Tasmania lagging behind national dentist figures

TASMANIA has fewer dentists per person than any other state or territory, but replacing missing teeth is a booming trade compared to the rest of Australia.

The rate of dentists in 2012 was 40.2 per 100,000 Tasmanians, compared to 64.7 dentists per 100,000 people across Australia.

Dental prosthetists, who make and fit dentures, was the only type of Tasmanian dental professional (9.8 per 100,000) above the national average (5.1 per 100,000).

Several of Tasmania's practising dental prosthetists were getting closer to retirement age and younger people might not replace them, Australian Dental Prosthetists Association Tasmania president Linda Clark said.

"There aren't many new ones being trained," Ms Clark said.

The North-West and West Coast areas had lower standards of oral health compared to Tasmania, which is poor compared to national standards, Australian Dental Association federal councillor Len Crocombe said.

"There are less dentists in the North-West," Dr Crocombe said.

"The more rural you go, the less dentists there are.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's report found Tasmania had the lowest proportion of female dentists, the highest average working age and highest number of dentists over 55 years old still practising in 2012.

When Dr Crocombe was studying to be a dentist, he said five out of his class of 45 were women.